GOLD medal fancy Emma Snowsill will wear a camouflage swimsuit in an attempt to prevent her from being targeted during the swim leg of the Olympic triathlon today. The three-time world champion, who weighs just 48 kilograms, was punched in the head and left "seeing stars" during last year's world titles.
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She and her Australian teammates, Emma Moffat and Erin Densham, will wear an Australian Olympic Committee-approved green suit that will blend into the Ming Tomb Reservoir's murky waters.
"We wanted an all-green suit so that we weren't visible," head coach Bill Davoren said.
"The open water swim is very rough and people tend to converge on each other because there are no lanes. There can be physical interaction and the perception is that at times it can be deliberate."
While Snowsill is among the favourites, the other two Australians should not be overlooked - Moffatt has two victories and two second-place finishes on the world cup circuit in the past two seasons while Densham is also a great chance for a medal.
Could all three finish on the podium?
"That obviously would be an ideal situation out there," Snowsill said. "We are definitely the strongest team out there."
The gold fight is expected to play out between Snowsill and the world No. 1, Portugal's Vanessa Fernandes. Both love the steamy weather and are in formidable form.
At just 22, Fernandes has dominated like no other on the World Cup circuit. In May, she was the first female triathlete to win 20 International Triathlon Union world cup events.
Snowsill got one up over Fernandes earlier this year, defeating her at a world cup meeting in Mooloolaba in April.
Today, the pressure will come from within for both women.
"I don't think there's any pressure other than my own," Snowsill said. "You put the hard yards in for training, whether Vanessa is there or not or someone else, you can't control them, you just want your race to take care of itself."
